2. Keep it full. If you're rocking a beer-and-mustard-only fridge, consider unplugging it and investing in a much smaller model. Alternately, consider stocking your fridge well. That way your appliance is not using energy to just keep air inside of it cool.

3. As for the outside, this is where the vacuum comes in. Vacuum the coils. Using a vacuum fitted with a hose attachment, make sure to keep the coils clean. Once a year is all it takes.

4. Speaking of coils, check the placement of your fridge. It needs about two inches of clearance in the back to allow proper room for ventilation.

5. Check and monitor the temperature. Using an appliance thermometer, keep an eye on the temperature over the course of a week to make sure it remains steady, between 38 and 41 degrees is fine for the fridge.

Additional notes: A few other energy-saving tips: as tempting as it may be, don't store stuff on top of the fridge: it could get in the way of ventilation (and yes, we're moving our fruit basket right this minute!). For more tips, check out this post.